Japan 2024 Trip 2: Day 10-13

Went back to NHK building next day. You can see Kokura castle from the building.

Main reason was to try butandonya TonTon!

Not bad butadon. A bit dry but definitely worth the money. Would try again.

Hikaru Kimi E poster at NHK building.

Went to book off at ChaCha Town because a complete manga had caught my attention.

And I bought the complete Mezon Ikkoku set wide edition. It is a kanzenban (complete) edition which means it is lightly larger than regular manga size. I prefer to buy kanzenban editions because they are easier to read and better to admire the air. 

I am also looking at buying a futon mattress and checking out the ones from Nitori.

and from Don Quixote. The Muji futons are crazy expensive.

You can never go wrong with Matsuya's double karubi teishoku.

Went with friend to this called Okonomiyaki Daruma.

However, we were not here for okonomiyaki but for monjayaki. That is half a tako-rice at the bottom right which is an okinawan food.

First time having monjayaki. What you do is let it cook then move the side and then use a small scrapper to scrap the burnt bits off the teppan. 

Finished it off with yakisoba.

Really like the super showa interior of Daruma.

Manga soukou aka Manga Warehouse is Disneyland for people like me. 

Went to sumibiyki Ichikizuna which was a yakitori place where you grilled the meats like a yakiniku. That my friends, is the first raw deer/shika meat that I have ever eaten and it was good.

This was stewed ox tongue and was very good.

Chicken parts for grilling. Not as good as yakiniku but still good.

Breakfast from bakery called Serio.

Jujutsu Kaisen pop up store at Marui, Hakata station.

Some Jujutsu Kaisen goods.

Christmas event at Daimaru in Fukuoka. There were an army of girls lining up to take selfies with a bunch of boy band members.

I waited until 7pm to eat at Issou in Nakasu. There was already a line before opening most of them were people who worked in Nakasu so it was a very colourful wait.

I wonder what the selling point of the next Atelier game will be?

I love getting a warm lemon drink from vending machine in winter.

Had to get Alan Wake 2 from Yodobashi. Very hard to find any copies anywhere else which means it is not popular and Bic Camera was more expensive. Not looking forward to FFXVI since it has turned into DMC but I have been told the graphics are worth seeing.

I managed to get 11 street passes in Kyushu which was more than I expected.

My last meal in Japan from Tonkatsu Akari at Solaria Plaza. 

All the shops in Solaria Plaza were crazy expensive but the food at the top floor were decently priced!

The toku atsugiri (special thick cut) roast was very very good. Definitely will be back!

New Abe Hiroshi movie about a hostage situation at tv station's newsroom. Will write about the 2 movies I saw later.

From Fukoka International airport. Goodbye Kyushu. So many things I wanted to eat but there is never enough time. I wanted to try Mohican ramen and I didn't even go to Hacchan! To be honest, I had to much Hakata Ramen in the middle and had to stop for a while. Endless amazing food to eat in Kyushu and now I have to pretend Japanese food doesn't exist. 

Japan 2024 Trip 2 day 9 Kokura

Taking the Romancing Saga train from Nishitetsu Karatsu station to Nishitetsu Minami Tenjin station. Something tells me I will be back one day.

Took train to Hakata station and then Shinkansen to Kokura. I think this is first time using Shinkansen without JR Pass. Learned that you get two tickets and then put both in when going through the ticket gate.

Damn, the price of the FF collection on switch has gone crazy. Maybe should have bought it but replaying FF6 and finishing FF5 is low on my list of priorities.

Went to this shopping centre called ChaCha Town in Kokura.

ChaCha Town has a nice big Book Off, Nitori and Ferris wheel as well as a stage in the middle where there are performances everyday. Feels like a retro shopping centre.

Dinner was Tenjin Horumon which was pretty good but a big expensive. 

Kokura lit up like a christmas tree, same as Fukuoka. The words on the right say Kokura and the building on the right is the NHK building.

Same christmas market stalls and food.

First time staying overnight in Kokura despite coming here many times. I also could not get a hotel room for a reasonable price in Fukuoka. It was all booked out on Thursday to Sat two months ago!

Kouyou and lights always look amazing.

They had a light show with music going on at the river.

Kokura castle was lit up as well.

Castle gates.

Going up the castle steps. Too bad the leaves have fallen.

This looks so nice with the water reflection.

Kokura castle garden.

View from castle gardens.

Christmas tree in the NHK building.

Nothing like finishing your night with chicken skin.

DQ3 and Fantasian are new and I've finished Dark Souls twice but I would be nice playing it handheld. I should have spent a bit more money and gotten Biohazard 4 Gold Edition new. Oh well. Happy to have a physical copy Ouendan 2 after spending so much time playing the games.